1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pipe structure of a windshield washer fluid feeding device for a vehicle comprising a refill pipe, which is used for the feeding of windshield washer fluid into a windshield washer fluid reservoir tank and takes the form of a multiple curved pipe for ensuring a sufficient working space between the refill pipe and a head lamp unit of the vehicle, and an auxiliary pipe connected at both ends thereof to regions of the refill pipe, in order to prevent damage to the joint region between the windshield washer fluid reservoir tank and the refill pipe even in case that the windshield washer fluid contained therein freezes.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, a windshield for vehicles is provided at a lower end thereof with a pair of wiper blades. These wiper blades serve to clean the windshield of rainwater or snow, dirt and other debris, thereby maintaining optimum visibility.
During the operation of the wiper blades, a windshield washer fluid feeding device is selectively operated to eject jets of windshield washer fluid onto the windshield.
Explaining schematically configuration of the windshield washer fluid feeding device, it comprises a reservoir tank for storing windshield washer fluid therein, a refill pipe connected to the reservoir tank for the replenishment of the windshield washer fluid, and a cap coupled to an upper end of the refill pipe for selectively opening and closing it.
The windshield washer fluid stored in the reservoir tank is pumped by means of a motor pump, and is ejected onto the windshield by making use of hoses and nozzles.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a state wherein a conventional windshield washer fluid feeding device having a linear refill pipe is mounted inside a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a state wherein another conventional windshield washer fluid feeding device having a curved refill pipe is mounted in a vehicle.
Referring first to FIG. 1, the conventional windshield washer fluid feeding device, designated as reference numeral 10, comprises a linear refill pipe 11 extending upward in a vertical direction from an upper side portion of a windshield washer fluid reservoir tank 12.
Most modern vehicles use the above-mentioned linear refill pipe.
The conventional windshield washer fluid feeding device 10, however, has a problem in that, in a mounted state thereof inside a vehicle, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the linear refill pipe 11 is positioned close to the head lamp unit 18 of the vehicle, resulting in a short distance therebetween.
Due to this distance, when exchanging or checking a bulb of the head lamp unit 18, it is difficult for an operator to insert his/her hand(s) into the narrow space defined between the rear surface of the head lamp unit 18 and the linear refill pipe 11.
In order to solve the above problem, although a solution of spacing the windshield washer fluid feeding device 10 from the head lamp unit 18 by a large distance may be considered, it complicates the design of a vehicle engine compartment, and lowers space utility thereof.
Referring to FIG. 2 illustrating another conventional windshield washer fluid feeding device, designated as reference numeral 20, it comprises a curved refill pipe 21 installed at an upper side portion of a windshield washer fluid reservoir tank 22.
In a mounted state of the windshield washer fluid feeding device 20 inside a vehicle, it will be clearly understood from FIG. 2 that a distance between the head lamp unit 18 of the vehicle and the curved refill pipe 21 is wider than that defined by the above mentioned linear refill pipe 11, resulting in an increase in the ease of exchange or checking of a bulb of the head lamp unit 18.
The curved refill pipe 21, however, has a problem in that it is difficult to integrally mold the curved refill pipe 21 with the windshield washer fluid reservoir tank 22.
This is because injection molding of the curved refill pipe and the windshield washer fluid reservoir tank is impossible due to the structure of the molds.
In the case of blow molding, although achievement of such an integrally molded structure is possible through a blowing process, it inevitably results in deterioration in the durability of the windshield washer fluid reservoir tank, and a difficulty in mass production thereof.
The curved refill pipe and the windshield washer fluid reservoir tank, therefore, should be individually molded, and then joined to each other. As a result of such an independent structure, if the windshield washer fluid freezes in the case of lower temperatures, a joint region between the curved refill pipe and the windshield washer fluid reservoir tank is expanded in volume at a curved portion of the refill pipe, resulting in breakage thereon.